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Last year was the year for retro and flocked trees. Bright funky colored synthetic trees or tinsel and glitter trees were a big trend in 2008. This year, the flat packed wooden tree is a great alternative. Perhaps it's because of the economy, or the increasing awareness of the state of our environment, but alternatives to live spruce, pine and evergreens for the Christmas holiday seem to be sprouting up everywhere.
Usable year after year and supposedly more eco-friendly (there's some debate about that), the following trees are nicely designed by various companies, range in style, woods and price.
Many of them are already sold out, so if you want one, better shop quickly!
The Possibilitree:
PossibiliTree® wooden trees are made in Minnesota, produced as a family business venture. Our mission is to provide you with a beautiful and unusual art piece that functions as a natural alternative to a live or artificial Christmas tree. Each possibiliTree® wooden tree is handmade and distinct with its own color and grain pattern variations.
Available in either a 2ft tabletop, 3 ft. tabletop or 6 ft suspended version. Depending upon the size, the tree comes in a a variety of woods like birch, cherry, wild cherry, walnut or butternut, and arrives flatpacked.
The 2ft tabletop:
The 3ft tabletop:
The 6ft suspended:
The story behind this tree as told by the daughter of the designer:
My father, Richard Babcock, an architect who built furniture in his spare time, came up with a simple and non-messy alternative to real Christmas trees.
Tired of finding, hauling, displaying, watering and disposing of the bulky, needle-dropping, space-guzzling evergreen every Christmas, he designed two wooden trees to use instead. Dick’s first tree, life-size at 6 feet, suspends from the ceiling with a thin wire. The second, a 3 foot tabletop version, uses a base stand for support. Dick designed both to be easy to set up, take down and store compactly.
The suspended tree is a real show-stopper, appearing to float over wrapped presents. With track lighting strategically placed, it casts surprising and beautiful shadows in a room.
The tabletop tree is the perfect size to highlight favorite holiday ornaments. It can be used throughout the year, too—decorated for such celebrations as graduations, birthdays, and other holidays. The possibilities are boundless. I enjoy displaying both trees in my home without ornaments, as art.
In 2002, the suspended tree placed as a finalist in the national Hammacher Schlemmer Search for Invention® contest. Prompted by that recognition and our long-standing affection for the trees, my family speculated that others would value them as well. We patented the design and formed a business. Inspired by the open-ended ways to display the trees, we named our company possibiliTree LLC. We produce the 6ft suspended tree and the tabletop tree—now in 2ft and 3ft versions. PossibiliTree® wooden trees are made in Minnesota. When available, we use reclaimed or “deadfall” wood. -- Pat Babcock Sorenson, Artistic Director, possibiliTree LLC
buy them here.
Modern Tannenbaum Trees by Silver Cocoon:
Available in a 3ft tabletop or 6 ft standing floor version, this modern wooden dowel tree is designed by a company in Minneapolis named Silver Cocoon.
The table-top version or full-size tree have a tall tapered cedar trunk with basswood dowel branches - on an interlocking solid-cedar X-base. The tree dismantles easily for storage. Each tree is individually handmade with care. And yes, they sell the great wood ornaments as well.
buy the 3ft tall tabletop version at their etsy store or check these retailers for either size. Silver Cocoon
Buro North's Buro Trees:
Buro North's Three fabulous looking flat packed Christmas Trees; The Rindd, Gryder and Frigg:
The Buro Trees are made with 100% environmentally considered ingredients. To make the Buro Trees, a low-energy production technique has been used and waste material minimised.
The Trees can be flat-packed for ultimate transporting and storage convenience and lower transport emissions. So we’re not asking you to give up your Christmas icon, we’re just offering a much more sustainable way to celebrate...
All three trees, the Rindd, Gryder and Frigg, take their inspiration from the three wives of pagan God Odin, the father of all gods in Norse mythology.
The Rindd:
The Gryder:
The Frigg:
Each is available in your choice of three different stains; natural, walnut or japan black as well as in various sizes. Buy any of them here.
The Rindd Buro Tree was the proud recipient of a Premiers Design award in 2008.
Büro North
Matteria Lasercut Eco-certified Birch Christmas tree:
Available in three sizes, this eco-certified laser cut birch wood tree comes in natural wood or stained green color. Comes flat-packed and is super easy to assemble.
The smallest measures 30cm tall (just under a foot tall):
The medium tree stands 60cm (just under 24" tall)
the largest, 120 cm (or 74.25"):
As an added bonus the manufacturer will plant 1 new tree for every small one sold, 3 new trees for every medium one sold and 5 new trees for every Large Christmas tree sold. They also sell the wonderful wood ornaments as well.
buy them here.
Muji Wooden Trees
Muji makes a tabletop wooden tree in 2 sizes as well:
buy them here.
Roost Driftwood Trees:
Available in 2 sizes, 24 " tall and 31" tall, these trees are crafted from actual Shoreline Driftwood and made by the home decor company, Roost.
buy them here.
Roost Lasercut Wooden Trees:
Not necessarily designed for Christmas, these three tabeltop wooden laser cut trees by Roost are beautiful. They also seem to be sold out at most places at the moment:
Roost
The X'Mas Wooden Tree by Sandra Lindner und Lindner im Norden:
A modern Christmas tree made from solid oiled larch by Sandra Linder. Each squared timber 1.5 X 1.5" has two drillings with metal sockets for the candles. Each arm has a different length. A central wooden pole lets you turn each arm individually, w 29/h 21.25".
This was a project and is not available for purchase.
lindnerimnorden.com
And some cardboard ones for those who want to spend a little less:
The Alpine tree from Cardboard Safari comes in white or natural, flatpacked and measures 12" x 26" inches:
buy the 2 ft tall Alpine Tree here.
And even smaller ones, The Snowflake Tree (with ornaments), that measure 9" x 14":
buy the Snowflake tree here.
And no messy pine needles to clean up!
Interested in modern wreaths, ornaments, nativity scenes, stockings and more holiday decor? Then check these out.
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